Quick assembly grill and method

ABSTRACT

The present invention is embodied in a grill configured for quick assembly, a method of partially pre-assembling the grill for shipping from the factory in a container, and a method of assembling the grill when removed from the shipping container. The grill comprises a firebox assembly for mounting on a cart assembly, the cart assembly having first and second support assemblies and at least one linking member interconnecting them. A hinge or pivot in the mid-portion of the linking member divides it into first and second linking member portions, and the opposite ends of the linking member portions are pivotally connected by hinges or the like to the first and second support assemblies. The linking member holds the first and second support assemblies together in a partially pre-assembled state, and the pivotal connections of the linking member portions allow the two assemblies to be folded for packaging in a shipping container. When removed from the container, the pivotal connections of the linking member portions allow the first and second support assemblies to be unfolded, with the linking member holding the two support assemblies in approximately the proper position with respect to each other and to the firebox assembly for assembly of the grill, thus allowing for easier and quicker grill assembly by one person. Alternatively, the linking member can itself be a support assembly with the first and second support assemblies pivotally attached to opposite ends of the linking member.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/707,832,filed Feb. 18, 2010. The present application also claims priority toU.S. Provisional Application No. 61/172,178, entitled “Quick AssemblyGrill and Method,” filed Apr. 23, 2009, the entire contents of which areherein incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention pertains generally to the field of grilling appliancesand, more particularly, to a grill for quick assembly in stores or byconsumers and related methods.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Outdoor grilling is a popular way to cook food. Most large grills foruse in outdoor cooking include a firebox mounted on a moveable cart.Such carts generally have the firebox located centrally on top of thecart. and they may include one or more shelves below the firebox, a dooror doors at the front of the cart, and side panels to at least partiallyenclose the cart on the sides. Such carts may also include a side shelfon one or both sides positioned approximate the level of the cookingsurface. Such carts are typically designed to elevate and support thecooking surface and side shelves at approximately the waist level of anadult. The cart frame typically includes wheels on at least one side sothat the grill may be rolled to a convenient location.

Grills are typically distributed to retail stores for purchase byconsumers in an unassembled state in cartons. This is because theassembled grill may be several feet tall and several feet wide.Consequently, an assembled grill would normally require a relativelylarge shipping container, a relatively large amount of warehouse space,and a relatively large amount of retail floor space. The grill's largesize can pose a problem for manufacturers transporting the product, andfor retailers storing the product, in an assembled condition.

By shipping the grills from the manufacturer to the retailer in anunassembled state, the manufacturer can reduce the size of the shippingcontainer and the retailer can stock more of the product. Since moreunits may be transported in each shipment, and more units may be kept inthe retailer's inventory, this saves money and space.

Retailers often offer to assemble the grill for the consumer for free orfor a nominal fee, using the retailer's own employees or an outsideservice. The cost of assembling a grill for the customer takes away fromthe retailer's profit on the sale of the grill. Included in the cost isthe time needed to train an employee to assemble the grill, and the timeneeded for the employee to assemble the grill, or the amount paid to theoutside service. The more complex the assembly, the longer it takes totrain the employee, and the longer it takes the employee, or the outsideservice, as the case may be, to assemble the product. This translatesinto higher cost for the retailer.

Additionally, some consumers prefer to assemble the grill themselves.Unfortunately, assembling a grill can be a time-consuming andfrustrating exercise, especially if it requires the efforts of multiplepeople. If the grill is too complicated to be easily assembled by theconsumer, then the consumer may refrain from purchasing it. Also, acomplex assembly can result in a frustrated customer, leading to reducedcustomer satisfaction with the product and a loss of repeat business forthe manufacturer or retailer.

Accordingly, there is a need for a grill configured for quick assemblythat does not suffer from the problems described above. Moreparticularly, there is a need for a grill that can be shipped in asubstantially unassembled state and then quickly assembled in the storeor at a customer's residence so as to minimize the shipping cost of theunassembled unit and the labor cost related to the assembly. There isalso a need for a grill assembly method that reduces the complexity andburden of grill assembly. The present invention satisfies these andother needs, and provides further related advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention resides in a grill configured for quick assembly,in a method of partially pre-assembling the grill for shipping from thefactory in a container, and in a method of assembling the grill whenremoved from the shipping container.

The quick assembly grill of the present invention comprises a fireboxassembly for cooking food and a cart assembly for supporting the fireboxassembly. The firebox assembly comprises a firebox assembly including afirebox base and a firebox hood pivotally connected to the firebox base,and a cart assembly for supporting the firebox assembly. The cartassembly comprises first and second support assemblies configured to bejoined to the firebox base, and at least one linking memberinterconnecting the first and second support assemblies, with a firsthinge connecting the first support assembly to the linking member and asecond hinge connecting the second support assembly to the linkingmember. The linking member interconnects the first and second supportassemblies and holds them together in a partially pre-assembled state sothat the two support assemblies can be folded to an unassembledconfiguration for packaging in a shipping container. The first andsecond support assemblies can be folded about the first and secondhinges respectively to convert the cart assembly from an unassembledconfiguration, in which the first and second support assemblies arefolded, to an assembled configuration, in which the first and secondsupport assemblies are unfolded to a position suitable for supportingthe firebox assembly. The linking member cart assembly can be a thirdsupport assembly.

The first and second hinges connecting the linking member to the supportassemblies may be configured so that the first and second supportassemblies does not unfold substantially beyond the assembledconfiguration that facilitates installation of the firebox assembly onthe cart assembly.

The cart assembly may comprise a cart panel or a fold down tray, orboth, attached to at least one support assembly or the linking member,or both. The cart assembly may also comprise one or more doors pivotallyattached to at least one support assembly or the linking member.

The firebox assembly and/or cart assembly may include partially-insertedthreaded fasteners such as bolts or screws when shipped in the shippingcontainer. Various other components in the shipping container intendedto be attached to the firebox assembly and/or cart assembly uponassembly of the grill may have keyholes or slotted openings formed inthem for quickly attaching the components to the firebox assembly orcart assembly using the partially-inserted fasteners. Such othercomponents may include, for example, cart braces or cross-members,panels, cart shelves, and side tables. The keyholes include a largeropening, sized and configured to be received over the head of apartially-inserted fastener, and a smaller opening, sized and configuredto slide underneath and be held by the head of the fastener when it istightened in place during assembly. Alternatively, slotted openingsextend through the edge of a component and are sized and configured toslide underneath and be held by the head of the fastener when it istightened in place during assembly. This use of partially-insertedfasteners and keyholes and/or slotted openings further allows for easierand quicker assembly of the grill.

One or more shelves or panels, or both, for the cart assembly may bepartially pre-assembled with at least one support assembly or linkingmember, or both, using pivotal connections that allow the shelves and/orpanels to be folded into the at least one support assembly and/or thelinking member for shipping. When the first and second supportassemblies are unfolded and locked into position via the linking member,the shelves and/or panels may then be unfolded from at least one supportassembly and/or the linking member into position for permanentattachment thereto.

A cross member may be pivotally attached to the first end of a bottomsupport assembly. A second opposite end of the bottom support assemblymay be attached to the linking member of the cart assembly. The bottomsupport assembly in this embodiment of the invention may be adapted tosupport a supply tank.

The grill may include a side burner valve assembly having a partiallyinserted threaded fastener. The grill also may include a side tablehaving a keyhole opening formed therein to receive the side burner valveassembly's threaded fastener and allow the quick attachment of the sideburner valve assembly to the side table.

The present invention also resides in providing the grill configured forquick assembly as described above in the form of a kit. In kit form, allof the components of the grill are packaged in one or more packages orcontainers for ready removal and assembly by a retailer or consumer.

In one embodiment of the invention, the cart assembly's linking memberthat interconnects the first and second support assemblies comprises ahinge or pivot in its mid-portion thereby dividing the linking memberinto first and second linking member portions. In this embodiment, thelinking member holds the first and second support assemblies together ina partially pre-assembled state, and the pivotal connections of thelinking member portions allow the two assemblies to be folded forpackaging in a shipping container. When removed from the container, thepivotal connections of the linking member portions allow the first andsecond support assemblies to be unfolded, with the linking memberholding the two support assemblies in approximately the proper positionwith respect to each other and to the firebox assembly for assembly ofthe grill, thus allowing for easier and quicker grill assembly by oneperson. The linking member may serve merely as a temporary or interimstructural member, holding the first and second support assemblies inapproximately the proper position while permanent structural members,such as cart braces, cross-members, panels and/or shelves, are installedduring assembly. Alternatively, or in addition, the linking member, withor without an appropriate locking mechanism, may itself serve as apermanent structural member, effectively functioning as a third supportassembly of the cart assembly.

In another embodiment of the invention, one or more of the pivotalconnections of the linking member portions, when unfolded, may be lockedin the unfolded state to aid in stabilizing the first and second supportassemblies during assembly of the grill. Any suitable locking mechanismmay suffice for this purpose, including an interlocking or detentmechanism or an interference or friction fit between the linking memberand the first and/or second support assemblies and/or between the firstand second linking portions of the linking member itself.

The cart assembly may include two linking members interconnecting thefirst and second support assemblies of the cart assembly wherein theeach linking member has a hinge or pivot in its mid-portion therebydividing the linking member into first and second linking memberportions. The two linking members are spaced apart from one another tobetter ensure that the two support assemblies are held in approximatelythe proper position and are substantially stable during assembly of thegrill. Each linking member may comprise a linking arm in the form of across-member of a frame, with a hinge or pivot in its mid-portiondividing the linking arms into first and second linking arm portions. Alocking mechanism may be formed as part of the pivotal connectionbetween the first and second linking arm portions of each linking arm.The linking arms can be temporary structural members and, therefore, maybe made of less expensive material such as plastic, as compared to thefirst and second support assemblies and their permanent structuralmembers, which are typically made of steel or other suitable structuralmaterial. Alternatively, the two linking arms may be intended to serveas permanent structural members of the cart assembly. These linking armsmay be made of steel or other suitable structural material, and when thelinking arm portions of each linking arm are unfolded, they may belocked together by a suitable locking mechanism, such as an angle memberthat is pivotally connected near the end of one of the linking armportions and can be pivoted so that it overlaps the end of the otherlinking arm portion. The angle member may then be locked to the otherlinking arm portion via a suitable locking mechanism, such as by aspring-loaded pin in the other linking arm portion or the angle member,as the case may be, that is received in a corresponding recess or holein the other component.

In all of the embodiments in which there is a hinge or pivot in themid-portion of the linking member, the linking arms are configuredpreferably to fold upwardly, downwardly or inwardly, rather thanoutwardly, relative to the assembled configuration of the cart assembly,so that the first and second support assemblies take up minimum space inthe shipping carton when folded.

The present invention also resides in a method for partiallypre-assembling a grill before shipping for quick assembly after removalfrom a shipping container. As described above, the grill may comprise afirebox assembly and a cart assembly for supporting the fireboxassembly, wherein the cart assembly comprises a first support assembly,a second support assembly, a linking member interconnecting the firstand second support assemblies, wherein the linking member can be a thirdsupport assembly, a first hinge connecting the first support assembly tothe linking member, and a second hinge connecting the second supportassembly to the linking member. The partial pre-assembly method includesthe steps of interconnecting the first and second support assemblies bya linking member, wherein one end of the linking member is pivotallyconnected to the first support assembly by a first hinge and the secondopposite end of the linking member is pivotally connected to the secondsupport assembly by a second hinge. The method also includes the stepsof folding the first and second support assemblies inwardly to a storageconfiguration resulting in little or no separation between them andpackaging at least the folded cart assembly and the firebox assembly ina shipping container.

The method of partially pre-assembling a grill for quick assembly mayinclude the steps of attaching a side cart panel to at least one supportassembly or the linking member.

The method of partially pre-assembling a grill for quick assembly alsomay include the steps of partially inserting at least one threadedfastener into the cart assembly or the firebox assembly before shipping,applying a thread locking compound to the threaded fastener prior to thestep of partially inserting the threaded fastener into the cart assemblyor the firebox assembly, and forming a keyhole opening in a separategrill component (e.g., cart brace or cross-member, cart panel, cartshelf, or side table) to be attached to the cart assembly or the fireboxassembly.

The method of partially pre-assembling a grill for quick assemblyfurther may include the step of pivotally attaching a first end of abottom support assembly to the cross-member by a hinge, and partiallyinserting at least one threaded fastener into a second opposite end ofthe bottom support assembly.

In the method for partially pre-assembling a grill for quick assemblywhere the grill comprises at least one linking member having two linkingmember portions pivotally connected together, the method includes thestep of interconnecting the first and second support assemblies by atleast one linking member, the linking member having a first linkingmember portion pivotally connected to the first support assembly and asecond linking member portion pivotally connected to the second supportassembly, with the two linking member portions pivotally connectedtogether. The method includes the further steps of folding the cartassembly into a compact storage configuration, and packaging the foldedcart assembly in a shipping container together with the firebox assemblyand selected other components of the grill.

The present invention also resides in a method for assembling a grillconfigured for quick assembly after removal from a shipping container,the grill comprising a firebox assembly and a cart assembly forsupporting the firebox assembly, wherein the cart assembly comprises afirst support assembly, a second support assembly, a linking memberinterconnecting the first and second support assemblies, wherein thelinking member can be a third support assembly, a first hinge connectingthe first support assembly to the linking member, and a second hingeconnecting the second support assembly to the linking member. The methodincludes the steps of removing the firebox assembly and the cartassembly from the shipping container, unfolding the first and secondsupport assemblies of the cart assembly so that the first and secondsupport assemblies are in a position suitable for supporting the fireboxassembly, and securing the firebox assembly to the cart assembly.

A further aspect of the method for quick assembly of a grill configuredfor quick assembly can include the steps of aligning a keyhole openingformed in a grill component to be attached to the grill with a threadedfastener partially pre-inserted into the cart assembly or the fireboxassembly, wherein the keyhole opening comprises a larger opening, sizedand configured to receive a head of the threaded fastener, and a smalleropening, contiguous with the larger opening, and sized and configured tobe slid under the head and around the shaft of a threaded fastener,sliding the component with respect to the grill so that the head of thethreaded fastener extends over the smaller opening, and tightening thethreaded fastener.

Another aspect of the method for quick assembly of a grill configuredfor quick assembly can include the steps for attaching a cross-memberpivotally attached to a first end of a bottom support assembly byaligning the keyholes in a first end and second end of the cross-memberover the treaded fastener pre-inserted into the first and second supportassemblies respectively, sliding the cross-member so that the threadedfasteners in the first and second support assemblies extend over thesmaller openings in the keyholes of the first and second ends of thecross-member, and tightening the threaded fasteners. The bottom supportassembly is then unfolded so a threaded fastener pre-inserted into asecond end of the bottom support assembly aligns with an aperture in thelinking member and tightening the threaded fastener.

Where the grill comprises a linking member having a first linking memberportion pivotally connected to the first support assembly and a secondlinking member portion pivotally connected to the second supportassembly, with the two linking portions pivotally connected together,the quick assembly method includes the steps (not necessarily in order)of removing the firebox assembly and cart assembly from the shippingcarton; unfolding the first and second support assemblies of the cartassembly, with the linking member holding the first and second supportassemblies in approximately the proper position with respect to eachother and to the firebox assembly for assembly of the grill; locking thefirst and/or second linking member portions of the linking member; andsecuring the firebox assembly to the cart assembly. The method also mayinclude the step of securing permanent structural members to the firstand second support assemblies of the cart. The method may furtherinclude the steps of aligning a keyhole or slotted opening formed in acomponent to be attached to the grill with a threaded fastener partiallyinserted in the firebox assembly and/or first and second supportassemblies of the cart, as the case may be, prior to shipping; slidingthe component into position so that the head of the threaded fastener isreceived in the keyhole or slotted opening so as to engage thecomponent; and tightening the threaded fastener.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way ofexample, the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments of the present invention will now be described, byway of example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view showing various individual components of agrill that may be packaged in a shipping container in accordance withthe present invention, including a fire box assembly having a hoseassembly for connecting to a fuel tank and a side burner, a pair of sidetables, a pair of support assemblies for a cart assembly folded togetherfor shipping, a pair of cross-members, a pair of feet, a pair of wheels,and a pair hitch pins for the wheels.

FIG. 2A is a side elevation view of the support assemblies of FIG. 1showing a pair of temporary linking arms joining them together in apartially unfolded state.

FIG. 2B is a side elevation view of the support assemblies and linkingarms shown in FIG. 2A in the fully unfolded state, with the linking armslocked and the cross-members permanently secured in place, including anenlarged fragmentary view showing a keyholes in one of the cross-membersreceived over a threaded fastener in a leg of one of the supportassemblies.

FIG. 3A is an enlarged fragmentary side view of one of the partiallyunfolded linking arms of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3B is an enlarged fragmentary bottom view of one of the partiallyunfolded linking arm of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3C is an enlarged fragmentary bottom view of one of the lockedlinking arms of FIG. 2B.

FIG. 4 is an exploded front elevation view showing a method of mountingthe firebox assembly on the cart assembly, including an enlargedfragmentary view showing a bracket with slotted openings and fastenersfor securing the firebox assembly to the cart assembly.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side view of the firebox assembly of FIG. 4,showing a method of attaching a side table thereto using fastenerspartially threaded in place, including an enlarged fragmentary viewshowing keyholes formed in the side table received over the fasteners,thereby securing the side table to the firebox assembly.

FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of the assembled grill of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6A is a side elevation view of a side table for the fireboxassembly of FIG. 4, showing a method of attaching a side burner valveassembly thereto using fasteners partially threaded in place andkeyholes formed in the side table to receive the fasteners, therebysecuring the side burner valve assembly to the side table.

FIG. 6B is a side elevation view of the side table of FIG. 6A having aside burner control knob in place.

FIG. 7A is a side elevation view of alternative support assemblies andlinking arms for a cart assembly in a partially unfolded state, with abottom shelf pivotally attached to one of the support assemblies.

FIG. 7B is a side elevation view of the alternative embodiment shown inFIG. 7A in the fully unfolded state, with the linking arms locked andthe bottom shelf permanently secured in place.

FIG. 8A is a fragmentary side view of an alternative embodiment of thepartially unfolded linking arm of the support assemblies shown in FIGS.7A-7B.

FIG. 8B is a fragmentary view from the opposite side of the partiallyunfolded linking arm shown in FIG. 8A.

FIG. 8C is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 8B showing the linking armin a fully unfolded and locked state.

FIG. 9A is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a cartassembly in accordance with the present invention, having a rear panelpermanently secured in place on one of the support assemblies, abottom-shelf pivotally attached to such support assembly, and a pair ofside panels pivotally attached to the bottom shelf.

FIG. 9B is a perspective view of the alternative embodiment of the cartassembly shown in FIG. 9A in the fully unfolded state, with the bottomshelf and side panels unfolded and permanently secured in place.

FIG. 9C is a perspective view of the alternative embodiment of the cartassembly shown in FIG. 9B with a pair of doors mounted on the front ofthe cart assembly.

FIG. 10A is a fragmentary top view of an alternative linking arm andlocking mechanism in a partially unfolded state for the supportassemblies shown in FIGS. 7A-7B.

FIG. 10B is a fragmentary top view similar to FIG. 10A showing thelinking arm in a fully unfolded and locked state.

FIG. 10C is a fragmentary perspective view from the rear side of thepartially unfolded linking arm shown in FIG. 10A.

FIG. 10D is a fragmentary rear view of the fully unfolded and lockedlinking arm shown in FIG. 10B.

FIG. 11 shows a pair of support assemblies and linking member for a cartassembly folded together for shipping.

FIG. 12A is a side elevation view of the support assemblies of FIG. 11showing a linking member joining the support assemblies together in apartially folded state.

FIG. 12B is a side elevation view of the support assemblies and thelinking member shown in FIG. 12A in the fully unfolded state.

FIG. 12C is the side elevation view of the fully unfolded supportassemblies and the linking member shown in FIG. 12B in the state, with across-member secured in place, and where the bottom support assembly,which is pivotally attached to the cross-member, is unfolded andremovably attached to the linking member.

FIG. 13A is a perspective view of the cart assembly shown in FIG. 12Cwith the bottom support assembly attached to the linking member andwhere a hinged door installed on the linking member is in the closedposition.

FIG. 13B is another a perspective view of the cart assembly shown inFIG. 13A where the hinged door on the linking member is in the openposition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, atypical set of components of a grill that may be packaged in a shippingcontainer in accordance with the present invention are shown. Thecomponents of the grill include a firebox assembly 10, a pair of sidetables 12 and 14, and a cart assembly comprising a front and rearsupport assemblies 18 and 20, respectively, a pair of cross-members 22,a pair of feet 24, a pair of wheels 26, and a pair of hitch pins 28 formounting the wheels.

The firebox assembly 10 comprises a firebox base 30 for the valves,burners and grills (not shown) typically employed for applying heat tothe food. As shown, the firebox base has burner control knobs 32 on afront panel 34 and a base support 36 for supporting it on top of thecart assembly at approximately the waist level of a typical adult, and afirebox hood 38 with a handle 40 for selectively covering and uncoveringthe firebox base. The firebox hood is appropriately hinged to thefirebox base (not shown) to allow the hood to be opened and closed, asis well known in the art. One of the side tables 14 also has a valve,burner and grill or the like (not shown), covered by a hinged lid 42,with a control knob 44 (FIG. 6) at the front. The firebox assembly alsocomes with a hose assembly 46 for connecting a supply tank (not shown)to the valves and burners in the firebox base and to the valve andburner in the side table.

The front support assembly 18 comprises a pair of legs 48 held inspaced-apart relationship by a front panel 50, and the rear assemblycomprise a similar pair of legs 52 held in spaced-apart relationship byupper and lower cross-members 54 and 56, respectively. The front panelserves both an aesthetic purpose and to add structural rigidity to thefront support assembly. Preferably all of the legs are tubular, and thelegs, the front panel and the upper and lower cross-members are made ofsteel or other suitable structural material. The front panel is fastenedby threaded fasteners to the legs of the front support assembly, and theupper and lower cross-members are spot-welded to the legs of the rearsupport assembly, though the front panel and cross-members can beattached in any other suitable manner.

As seen in FIG. 1, the support assemblies 18 and 20 are packaged in theshipping carton folded together so as to be relatively flat and compact.To this end, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the two support assemblies arepartially pre-assembled by interconnecting them with a pair of linkingarms 58 that extend between opposing pairs of legs on the supportassemblies. A hinge 60 in the mid-portion of each linking arm divides itinto first and second linking arm portions 58 a and 58 b. The oppositeends of each linking arm are pivotally connected by pins or screws 62 tothe inside surface of a leg. As a result, the linking arms are capableof folding onto themselves. The pins of the hinges are located at thetop of the linking arms so that the linking arms fold downward, thoughthey could be designed to fold upward or inward. When completely folded,each linking arm is received along the insides of the opposing legs towhich it is pivotally connected, allowing the two support assemblies tocollapse together with little or no separation between them, thusminimizing space in the shipping carton.

When the support assemblies 18 and 20 are removed from the shippingcarton, they can be unfolded by the assembler as shown in FIG. 2A. Whencompletely unfolded as shown in FIG. 2B, the linking arms 58 willposition the support assemblies in approximately the proper position forfurther assembly of the grill. In this regard, it should be noted thatthe linking arms in this first embodiment of the invention are notintended to be permanent structural elements of the completely assembledgrill. Rather, the linking arms are only intended to quickly andproperly position the two support assemblies and hold them sufficientlysteady in the front-rear direction so that an assembler, working alone,can readily attach other components without need of an assistant.Therefore, the linking arms can be made of less expensive material suchas plastic.

To help ensure that the linking arms 58 hold the support assemblies inthe proper position while the assembler attaches other components, eachlinking arm is provided with a locking mechanism at or near its hinge60. As shown in FIGS. 3A-3C, the locking mechanism comprises acylindrical protrusion 64 formed in the end of one linking arm portion58 a that mates with a complementary recess 66 formed in the abuttingend of the other linking arm portion 58 b. The protrusion and the recessare sized to mate with an interference fit to lock the two linking armportions together, though persons of ordinary skill will appreciate thatother locking schemes could be used. Alternatively, or in addition,suitable locking mechanisms could be employed where the linking armspivotally connect to the legs of the support assemblies. Where thelinking arms are not intended to serve as permanent structural members,the locking mechanisms need not be very robust, but only sufficient tohold the support assemblies steady while the assembler attaches other,permanent structural components such as the cross-members 22.

Once the support assemblies 18 and 20 are completely unfolded, theassembler can attach the permanent cross-members 22 to opposing legs 48and 52 of the two support assemblies to permanently lock them in theproper position. In order to make this process quicker and easier, asshown in FIG. 2B the support assemblies are shipped with threadedfasteners 68 for attaching the cross-members that have been partiallythreaded in place in threaded holes formed in the legs. These threadedfasteners are preferably held in place with a common thread lockingcompound, such as LOCTITE®, to prevent the fasteners from falling outdue to vibration during transit, while still allowing the fasteners tobe tightened during grill assembly. In addition, vertically-orientedkeyholes 70 are formed in the ends of the cross-members to mate with thefasteners. The larger openings of the keyholes are sized to be receivedover the heads of the threaded fasteners without having to remove them,and the smaller openings of the keyholes are sized to slide around thethreaded shafts of the fasteners, underneath the fastener heads. Oncethe keyholes in the cross-members are placed over the fastener heads andslid into place, the fasteners can be tightened to secure thecross-members to the legs as shown in the enlarged fragmentary view inFIG. 2B.

With the cross-members 22 secured in place, the assembler can theninstall the feet 24 on the legs on one side of the support assemblies 18and 20, and the wheels 26 using the hitch pins 28 inserted through holeson the legs on the other side the support assemblies (FIG. 4).

Still referring to FIG. 4, the firebox assembly can now be installed onthe cart assembly. To this end, a connector block 72 is sized and shapedto fit into the end of each of the legs of the support assemblies, witha portion of each connector block protruding out of the end of the legs.The base support 36 of the firebox assembly 10 has four downwardextending tubular stub legs 74 that align with the legs of the supportassemblies. A front stub panel 76 extends between the tubular stub legsof the base support. The protruding ends of the connector blocks aresized and shaped to be received in open ends of the tubular stub legs ofthe base support. The connector blocks can be secured to the legs of thesupport assemblies and to the stub legs of the base support by threadedfasteners inserted through the walls of the legs and the stubs into theconnector blocks (not shown).

In addition, or in the alternative, the firebox assembly can be securedto the cart assembly by brackets 78 held in place by threaded fastenersreceived in slotted openings 80 in the brackets, such as shown in theenlarged illustration in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 illustrates attachment of one of the side tables 12 to the sideof the fire box assembly 10. Preferably the firebox base 30 is shippedwith threaded fasteners partially threaded into holes for attaching theside tables. The side table includes keyhole openings 70 that are sizedand positioned to receive the fasteners. To install the side table, theassembler aligns each keyhole with its respective fastener so that theheads of the fasteners are received through the larger openings of thekeyholes. The assembler then slides the side table so that the smalleropenings of the keyholes are received underneath the fastener heads andthen tightens the fasteners. The other side table 14 may be installed ina similar manner. The completely assembled grill is shown in FIG. 6.

As noted, one of the side tables may include a side burner assembly (notshown). FIG. 6A illustrates attachment of a valve 84 for the side burnerassembly to the side table. Preferably the valve is shipped withthreaded fasteners partially threaded into holes for attaching the valveto the side table. The side table includes an opening to receive thevalve stem 86 of the valve and keyhole openings 70 that are sized andpositioned to receive the fasteners that have been pre-inserted in thevalve. To install the valve, the assembler passes the valve stem and thefasteners through their respective openings in the side table so thatthe heads of the fasteners are received through the larger openings ofthe keyholes. The assembler then slides the valve so that fastener headsare received over the smaller openings of the keyholes and tightens thefasteners. Once the side burner valve is in place, the assembler caninstall the burner control knob 44 onto the valve stem, as shown in FIG.6B.

An alternative embodiment of the support assemblies for the cart isshown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. In this embodiment, the front and rear supportassemblies 18′ and 20′, respectively, each again comprise a pair of legs48′ and 52′, respectively, held in spaced apart relationship by upperand lower cross-members 54′ and 56′, and the two support assemblies arelikewise partially pre-assembled by interconnecting them with a pair oflinking arms 58′ that extend between opposing pairs of legs on thesupport assemblies. Similarly, a hinge 60′ in the mid-portion of eachlinking arm divides it into first and second linking arm portions 58 a′and 58 b′, and the opposite ends of each linking arm are pivotallyconnected to opposing legs of the support assemblies. The primarydifference is that the linking arms are hinged to fold inward, ratherthan downward as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. As in FIGS.2A and 2B, these linking arms in this embodiment are not intended to bepermanent structural elements of the completely assembled grill, butrather are only intended to position the two support assemblies and holdthem sufficiently steady while the assembler attaches other components.Therefore the linking arms can be formed of less expensive material suchas plastic, as in FIGS. 2A and 2B. Castors (not shown) can be installedin the bottom of each leg.

With reference to FIGS. 8A-8C, each linking arm 58′ further includes alocking mechanism near the hinge 60′ similar to the locking mechanismshown in FIGS. 3A-3C. In this case, the locking mechanism is formed onthe rear side of the linking arms and the two linking arm portions 58 a′and 58 b′ are designed to overlap at the hinge for great structuralintegrity. In this regard, at the hinge, the end of one linking armportion 58 a′ is formed with a rectangular extension 88 that is receivedwith a relatively tight fit in a complementary rectangular recess 90formed in the other linking arm portion 58 b′. As a result of thisoverlap, the linking arm is more rigid in the vertical direction whencompletely unfolded and locked. In addition, a cylindrical protrusion64′ is formed on the end of the rectangular extension that mates with acomplementary recess 66′ formed in the end wall 92 of the rectangularrecess. Similar to FIGS. 3A-3C, the protrusion and the recess are sizedto mate with an interference fit to effect locking.

Referring again to FIG. 7A, a bottom shelf 94 is pivotally connected asby a hinge or the like along its rear edge to the lower cross-member(not shown) of the rear support assembly 20′. This allows the bottomshelf to be folded into the rear support assembly for compactness whenthe two support assemblies 18′ and 20′ are folded together for shipping.After the support assemblies are unfolded and the linking arms 58′ arelocked in position, the assembler can fold the bottom shelf down intoposition and secure it by fasteners (not shown) to the lowercross-member 56′ or to the legs 50′ of the front support assembly. Asshown, the bottom shelf includes a relatively large circular opening 96for holding a supply tank.

An alternative embodiment of the folding shelf design of FIGS. 7A-7B isshown in FIGS. 9A-9C. In this embodiment, the front support assembly 18″has legs 48″ held in spaced-apart relationship by upper and lowercross-members 54″ and 56″, which can be spot-welded in place, and therear support assembly 20″ has legs 52″ held in spaced-apart relationshipby a rear louvered panel 98 that has been pre-inserted with fasteners(not shown). The two support assemblies are interconnected by linkingarms 58″, each of which has a hinge 60″ in its mid-portion dividing itinto linking arm portions 58 e and 58 b″, and the opposite ends of eachlinking arm portion are pivotally connected to opposing legs of thesupport assemblies. Each linking arm includes a locking mechanism nearthe hinge similar to FIGS. 3A-3C and FIGS. 8A-8C. A bottom shelf 94″with a relatively large circular opening 96″ for a supply tank ispivotally connected to the rear panel as by hinges (not shown), andvisible through the opening are louvered side panels 100 with handopenings 102 that are pivotally connected to each side edge of thebottom shelf by hinges 104 (FIG. 9B). As in the embodiment of FIGS.7A-7B, this allows the bottom shelf with its two side panels to befolded substantially into the rear support assembly for compactness whenthe two support assemblies are folded together for shipping. After thesupport assemblies are unfolded and the linking arms are locked inposition, the assembler can fold the bottom shelf down into position andsecure it by fasteners (not shown) to the lower cross-member or the legsof the front support assembly. The side panels can then be pivoted intoposition between opposing legs of the front and rear support assembliesand fastened in place as by fasteners 68. Castors 106 are installed inthe bottoms of the legs, and as shown in FIG. 9C, a pair of hinged doors108 with handles 110 can be installed on brackets 112 on the front tocomplete the cart assembly. A firebox assembly (not shown) can then bemounted on top of the cart assembly.

An alternative embodiment of a linking arm 58′ with a locking mechanismthat can serve as a permanent structural support for a cart assembly isshown in FIGS. 10A-10D. As with the other linking arms describedpreviously, a hinge 60′″ in the mid-portion of the linking arm dividesit into first and second linking arm portions 58 a′″ and 58 b′″. In thiscase, each linking arm portion is formed as a channel with end wallsfrom steel or other suitable structural material. The two linking armsportions are pivotally connected at their outer end walls to opposinglegs of two support assemblies (not shown) and the inner end walls ofthe two linking arm portions abut at the hinge 60′″. A locking arm 114in the form of an angle member, also formed of steel or other suitablestructural material, is permanently attached to the upper surface of thefirst linking arm portion 58 a′″, as by spot welding, so that the anglemember extends beyond the inner end wall of the first linking armportion and overlaps the second linking arm portion 58 b′″ when thelinking arm is fully unfolded. The second linking arm portion 58 b′″ hasa slidable locking pin 116 mounted in a U-shaped bracket 118 that ispermanently attached, as by spot welding, to the inside wall of thesecond linking arm portion. A bias spring 120 is sandwiched between thetop of the U-shaped bracket and a collar on the locking pin (not shown),biasing the upper end of the locking pin so that it extends through ahole 122 formed in the upper surface of the second linking arm portion.A like hole 124 is formed in the upper surface of the locking arm on thefirst linking arm extension, positioned to receive the locking pin whenthe linking arm is fully unfolded. The leading edge of the locking armis raised where it engages the locking pin to allow it to passunderneath the locking arm and enter the hole. In this manner, the firstand second linking arm portions can be securely locked together in thefully unfolded state so that they may serve as structural supportmembers of the cart assembly and avoid the use of additional structuralmembers in lieu of the linking arm.

Alternatively, as seen in FIG. 11, the two support assemblies 18 and 20are both side support assemblies and may be partially pre-assembled byinterconnecting them with a linking member 58. As further seen in FIG.11, linking member 58 may be constructed in a manner similar to firstand second support assemblies 18 and 20 so that the linking member is athird support assembly comprising a pair of legs 59 held in spaced-apartrelationship by upper and lower cross-members 61 and 63, respectively,and which can be spot-welded in place so that the linking member 58serves as a permanent structural support for the cart assembly. Asshown, a front panel 50 and/or a hinged door 109 can be preinstalled onthe linking member 58.

In this embodiment, one leg 52 of the first support assembly 18 isomitted so that hinges 65 connect one end of the linking member 58 tothe upper and lower cross-members 54 and 56, respectively, of the firstsupport assembly 18 and one leg 52 of the second support assembly 20 isomitted so that hinges 67 connect a second end of linking member 58 tothe upper and lower cross-members 55 and 57, respectively, of the secondsupport assembly 20. As a result, first and second support assemblies 18and 20 are capable of folding inwardly about hinges 65 and 67 to anunassembled configuration with little or no separation between them andlinking member 58, thus minimizing space in the shipping carton.

FIGS. 12A and 12B are front elevated views of the support assemblies 18and 20 pre-assembled by interconnecting them with the linking member 58as shown in FIG. 11. When removed from the shipping carton, side supportassemblies 18 and 20 can be unfolded as shown in FIG. 12A and positionedin approximately the proper position for further assembly of the grillas shown in FIG. 12B.

FIG. 12C shows a preferred embodiment having a bottom support assembly95 pivotally attached to the cross-member 22 by hinges 97. Once thecross-member is attached to the legs 48 and 52 using fasteners 68, thebottom support assembly 95 is unfolded about hinges 97 and attached tothe cross-member 63 of the linking member 58 using preinstalled bolt 101and matching fly nut 103. As shown, the bottom support assembly caninclude a support bracket 99 for holding a supply tank (not pictured).

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 12C, brackets 73 are permanentlypre-attached to, and protrude beyond, the upper ends of each leg 48, 52,and 59. The brackets are positioned and shaped to receive the fourthreaded fasteners 68 (shown in FIG. 4). The four threaded fasteners 68are received in the open ends of the corresponding four brackets 73. Thefirebox assembly can be secured to the cart assembly by tightening thefour threaded fasteners 68 following insertion into the openings of thebrackets 73.

An alternative embodiment of the design of FIG. 9C is shown in FIGS. 13Aand 13B. In this embodiment, the linking member 58 has legs 59 held inspaced-apart relationship by upper and lower cross-members 61 and 63 asshown in FIGS. 11, 12A-12C. A hinged door 109 is pivotally pre-attachedto the linking member 58 using hinged brackets 113 that are attached tolegs 59. As shown in FIG. 13B, the hinged door 109 can be pivoted abouthinged brackets 113 to an open position to allow access to the supplytank and other components (not shown) that are otherwise concealed whenthe hinged door is in the closed position. A front panel 50 is alsopre-attached to the legs 59 and/or bottom cross-member 63 of the linkingmember 58 with fasteners (not shown). Wheels 26 can be attached to thebottoms of the legs 52 and 59 and feet 24 can be attached to the bottomsof legs 48 and 59. A firebox assembly (not shown) can then be mounted ontop of the cart assembly.

It will be appreciated that the various embodiments of the inventiondescribed above provide a grill having a cart assembly that can bepartially pre-assembled using one or more linking arms, shipped in afolded configuration, and then quickly unfolded and held in the properposition while an assembler, without anyone's assistance, can assemblethe cart assembly and mount a firebox assembly to it. Assembly isfurther simplified by having fasteners partially threaded in place andforming keyholes or slotted openings in components to be attached bythose fasteners. The invention thus allows the grill to be shippedcompactly yet more quickly and easily assembled at its destination,saving time and labor costs.

The present invention has been described above in terms of presentlypreferred embodiments so that an understanding of the present inventioncan be conveyed. However, there are other embodiments not specificallydescribed herein for which the present invention is applicable.Therefore, the present invention should not to be seen as limited to theforms shown, which are illustrative rather than restrictive.

1. A grill comprising: a firebox assembly comprising: a firebox base,and a firebox hood pivotally connected to the firebox base; and a cartassembly for supporting the firebox assembly, the cart assemblycomprising: a first support assembly configured to be joined to thefirebox base, a second support assembly configured to be joined to thefirebox base, a linking member interconnecting the first and secondsupport assemblies, a first hinge connecting the first support assemblyto the linking member, a second hinge connecting the second supportassembly to the linking member, and wherein the first and second supportassemblies can be folded about the first and second hinges respectivelyto convert the cart assembly from a unassembled configuration, in whichthe first and second support assemblies are folded, to an assembledconfiguration, in which the first and second support assemblies areunfolded to a position suitable for supporting the firebox assembly. 2.The grill of claim 1, wherein the linking member of the cart assembly isa third support assembly.
 3. The grill of claim 1, wherein the hingesconnecting the linking member and support assemblies are configured sothat the first and second support assemblies cannot unfold substantiallybeyond the assembled configuration that facilitates installation of thefirebox assembly on the cart assembly.
 4. The grill of claim 1, whereinthe cart assembly further comprises a cart panel attached to at leastone support assembly or the linking member.
 5. The grill of claim 1,wherein the cart assembly further comprises a fold down tray attached toat least one support assembly or the linking member.
 6. The grill ofclaim 1, wherein one or more doors are pivotally attached to the linkingmember.
 7. The grill of claim 1, wherein threaded fasteners arepartially pre-inserted into the cart assembly or firebox assembly. 8.The grill of claim 1, further comprising one or more grill membersattached to the cart assembly or the firebox assembly, wherein each ofthe one or more grill members includes at least one keyhole openingcomprising: a larger opening, sized and configured to receive the headof a threaded fastener partially pre-inserted into the cart assembly orthe firebox assembly, and a smaller opening, contiguous with the largeropening, and sized and configured to slide under the head and around theshaft of a threaded fastener.
 9. The grill of claim 8, wherein one ofthe one or more grill members is a cross-member comprising: a bodyportion, a first attached to the first support assembly, and a secondend attached to the second support assembly.
 10. The grill of claim 9,wherein a part of the body portion of the cross-member is pivotallyattached to a first end of a bottom support assembly and a secondopposite end of the bottom support assembly is attached to the linkingmember of the cart assembly.
 11. The grill of claim 10, wherein thebottom support assembly is adapted to support a supply tank.
 12. Thegrill of claim 8, wherein one of the one or more grill members is a cartshelf.
 13. The grill of claim 8, wherein one of the one or more grillmembers is a cart panel.
 14. The grill of claim 8, wherein one of theone or more grill members is a side table.
 15. The grill of claim 1,further comprising: a side burner valve assembly having a partiallyinserted, threaded fastener; and a side table having a keyhole openingformed therein to receive the threaded fastener and secure the sideburner valve assembly to the side table.
 16. A method for partiallypre-assembling a grill before shipping for quick assembly after removalfrom a shipping container, the grill comprising a firebox assembly and acart assembly for supporting the firebox assembly, wherein the cartassembly comprises a first support assembly, a second support assembly,a linking member interconnecting the first and second supportassemblies, wherein the linking member can be a third support assembly,a first hinge connecting the first support assembly to the linkingmember, and a second hinge connecting the second support assembly to thelinking member, the method comprising the steps of: interconnecting thefirst and second support assemblies by a linking member, wherein one endof the linking member is pivotally connected to the first supportassembly by a first hinge and the second opposite end of the linkingmember is pivotally connected to the second support assembly by a secondhinge; folding the first and second support assemblies inwardly to astorage configuration resulting in little or no separation between them;and packaging at least the folded cart assembly and the firebox assemblyin a shipping container.
 17. The method of claim 16, further comprisingthe step of attaching a side cart panel to at least one support assemblyor the linking member.
 18. The method of claim 16, further comprisingthe step of partially inserting at least one threaded fastener into thecart assembly or the firebox assembly before shipping.
 19. The method ofclaim 17, further comprising the step of applying a thread lockingcompound to the threaded fastener prior to the step of partiallyinserting the threaded fastener into the cart assembly or the fireboxassembly.
 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step offorming a keyhole opening in a separate grill component to be attachedto the cart assembly or the firebox assembly.
 21. The method of claim20, wherein the grill component is a cross-member, the method furthercomprising the steps of: pivotally attaching the first end of a bottomsupport assembly to the cross-member by a hinge; and partially insertingat least one threaded fastener into the second opposite end of thebottom support assembly.
 22. A method for assembling a grill configuredfor quick assembly after removal from a shipping container, the grillcomprising a firebox assembly and a cart assembly for supporting thefirebox assembly, wherein the cart assembly comprises a first supportassembly, a second support assembly, a linking member interconnectingthe first and second support assemblies, wherein the linking member canbe a third support assembly, a first hinge connecting the first supportassembly to the linking member, and a second hinge connecting the secondsupport assembly to the linking member, the method comprising the stepsof: removing the firebox assembly and the cart assembly from theshipping container; unfolding the first and second support assemblies ofthe cart assembly so that the first and second support assemblies are ina position suitable for supporting the firebox assembly; and securingthe firebox assembly to the cart assembly.
 23. The method of claim 22,further comprising the steps of: aligning a keyhole opening formed in agrill component to be attached to the grill with a threaded fastenerpartially pre-inserted into the cart assembly or the firebox assembly,wherein the keyhole opening comprises a larger opening, sized andconfigured to receive a head of the threaded fastener, and a smalleropening, contiguous with the larger opening, and sized and configured tobe slid under the head and around the shaft of a threaded fastener;sliding the component with respect to the grill so that the head of thethreaded fastener extends over the smaller opening; and tightening thethreaded fastener.
 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the grillcomponent is a cross-member, the method further comprising the steps of:aligning the keyhole in a first end of the cross-member over the treadedfastener pre-inserted into the first support assembly, aligning thekeyhole in the second opposite end of the cross-member over the threadedfastener pre-inserted into the second support assembly, sliding thecross-member so that the threaded fasteners in the first and secondsupport assemblies extend over the smaller openings in the keyholes ofthe first and second ends of the cross-member, and tightening thethreaded fasteners.
 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the cross-memberis pre-attached to the first end of a bottom support assembly by ahinge, the method further comprising the steps of: unfolding the bottomsupport assembly so that the at least one threaded fastener pre-insertedinto the second opposite end of the bottom support assembly aligns withan aperture in the linking member, and tightening the at least onethreaded fastener.
 26. A kit configured to be assembled into a grill,the kit comprising: a firebox assembly comprising: a firebox base, afirebox hood pivotally connected to the firebox base; a cart assemblyfor supporting the firebox assembly; wherein the cart assemblycomprises: a first support assembly configured to be joined to thefirebox base, a second support assembly configured to be joined to thefirebox base, a linking member interconnecting the first and secondsupport assemblies, a first hinge connecting the first support assemblyto the linking member, a second hinge connecting the second supportassembly to the linking member; and wherein the first and second supportassemblies can be unfolded about the first and second hingesrespectively to convert the cart assembly from a unassembledconfiguration, in which the first and second support assemblies arefolded inwardly against one another resulting in little or no separationbetween them, to an assembled configuration, in which the first andsecond support assemblies are unfolded to a position suitable forsupporting the firebox assembly.
 27. The kit of claim 26, wherein thelinking member is a third support assembly.
 28. The kit of claim 26,wherein the hinges connecting the linking member and support assembliesare configured so that the first and second support assemblies cannotunfold substantially beyond the assembled configuration that facilitatesinstallation of the firebox assembly on the cart assembly.
 29. The kitof claim 26, wherein the cart assembly further comprises a cart panelattached to at least one support assembly or the linking member.
 30. Thekit of claim 26, wherein the cart assembly further comprises a fold downtray attached to at least one support assembly or the linking member.31. The kit of claim 26, wherein one or more doors are pivotallyattached to the linking member.
 32. The kit of claim 26, whereinthreaded fasteners are partially pre-inserted into the cart assembly orfirebox assembly.
 33. The kit of claim 32, further comprising one ormore grill members adapted to be attached to the cart assembly or thefirebox assembly; wherein each of the one or more grill members includesa keyhole opening comprising a larger opening, sized and configured toreceive the head of a threaded fastener partially pre-inserted into thecart assembly or the firebox assembly; and a smaller opening, contiguouswith the larger opening, and sized and configured to be slid beneath thehead and over the shaft of the threaded fastener.
 34. The kit of claim33, wherein: one of the one or more grill members is a cross-membercomprising: a body portion, a first attached to the first supportassembly, and a second end attached to the second support assembly. 35.The grill of claim 34, wherein a part of the body portion of thecross-member is pivotally attached to a first end of a bottom supportassembly and a second opposite end of the bottom support assembly isattached to the linking member of the cart assembly.
 36. The kit ofclaim 35, wherein the bottom support assembly is adapted to support asupply tank.
 37. The kit of claim 33, wherein one of the one or moregrill members is a cart shelf.
 38. The kit of claim 33, wherein one ofthe one or more grill members is a cart panel.
 39. The kit of claim 33,wherein one of the one or more grill members is a side table.
 40. Thekit of claim 26, further comprising: a side burner valve assembly havinga partially inserted, threaded fastener; and a side table having akeyhole opening formed therein to receive the threaded fastener andsecure the side burner valve assembly to the side table.